Vintage Camera Ads VIII: The Classic Kodak Ads that Made Photography Famous

Today, the photography world (especially the analogue-loving side) commemorates what would have been photography pioneer George Eastman's 159th birthday. So, for this featured selection of vintage camera ads, let's take a look at the most gorgeous ones done by the iconic imaging company, Kodak!

From the very first installment of Vintage Camera Ads, we’ve been looking back at some of the most beautiful and compelling works of art ever made for selling cameras. Yes, we’d like to believe that these were not mere advertisements, but also artworks in their own right. You can’t deny that they were (and still are) certainly eye-catching, and camera makers most likely had little problems selling their analogue wares on magazine pages and other printed materials.

Now, the most beautiful of these vintage advertisements have to be, hands down, the ones made by Kodak. Through these ads, as Business Insider also observed, Kodak sold not only films, cameras, and other photographic equipment; they sold a way of life. Aside from the eye-catching visuals, the company also came up with some of the best-known slogans — from the assuring “You push the button – we do the rest,” to the confident “If it isn’t an Eastman, it isn’t a Kodak,” to the more carefree “Kodak as you go.”

George Eastman and Thomas Edison during the early 1900s. Photo via Eastmanhouse.org

George Eastman, the iconic photography pioneer and brilliant mind behind the equally iconic imaging company Kodak, would have been 159 years old if he were alive today. To commemorate his legacy, let’s take a look back at some more of Kodak’s beautiful vintage camera ads that made photography popular:

In celebration of the mindblowing solar eclipse we had the other day, we ran a competition and asked you to tag your analogue photos centered around our great big yellow friend! Check out the winners now!

In December last year James Wright, editor and creative director of So It Goes Magazine, went on a two-week trip to Sri Lanka, "a place so long on our bucket list, but up until then, as yet unvisited," he writes on the first of his three-part photo diary. Herein is the first of his series that chronicles his adventures, highlighted by a selection of breathtaking images of the Sri Lankan countryside and the locals, among many other images, captured with his trusty photographic companions: the Leica MP, Lomo LC-A+, and an assortment of films including the LomoChrome Purple.

Simeon Smith is a musician who recorded the sounds of our film cameras in action and made these samples available as a free download. We couldn't resist interviewing him about this project and taking a look at some of his photos. Meet the man behind the cams here.

Stephen Shore introduced to the 70s art world an unadorned image of American life. He captured littered restaurant tables as other photographers would immaculate vistas. For the opening of “American Surfaces”, he even taped unframed snapshots on gallery walls. In these videos, Shore talks about objects that have “no pretention to art” and the things he learned from Andy Warhol.

In my early adolescence, I liked to play table football. For my 12th birthday, my parents gifted me with a wonderful Subbuteo table soccer game set that I had wished for many months! This was my favorite toy until I discovered other interesting hobbies, like ham radio and electronics. So after some years, I gave away this game to other kids. I always remembered this game with pleasure and a hint of nostalgia.